Designed for Sports. The long reach and fast f/2.8 aperture are perfect for sports and action photography, allowing you to freeze fast-moving subjects even in low light. The wide aperture also enables images with a very shallow depth-of-field, giving great subject/background separation.

Redesigned Build and Optics. In what might be the most notable change from the AF-S VR, Nikon managed to shave 1.72 lbs. off the lens’s weight by switching to a magnesium alloy die-cast lens barrel. Additionally, two fluorite lens elements and two ED lens elements reduce chromatic aberrations while ensuring overall image sharpness, clarity, and color fidelity. As expected, you’re still getting pro-grade dust-, moisture-, and weather-sealing for peace of mind in less-than-ideal conditions.

Advanced Vibration Reduction. The in-lens vibration reduction provides up to four stops of correction for low-light shooting. Combined with the weight reduction, this makes the 400mm f/2.8E AF-S FL ED VR truly hand-holdable. There’s a dedicated VR Sport Mode that recognizes panning motion to provide accurate compensation for camera shake.

Silent Wave Autofocus Motor. The Silent Wave Motor provides quick, quiet, and precise autofocus performance. The internal focusing design retains the overall lens length during operation while contributing to a lighter overall weight. Full-time manual focus override is as simple as rotating the focus ring at any time.

Specialized Electromagnetic Diaphragm. First seen in the Nikon 800mm f/5.6E FL ED AF-S VR, the electromagnetic diaphragm ensures consistent exposures when shooting at high frame rates.